Radar law slows Poconos police

Only state troopers can use radar guns in Pa.

State law allows only Pennsylvania State Police to use radar guns to measure speed. Local police departments must use other methods — such as the non-radar speed tracker called ENRADD, or a stopwatch that times how long it takes a vehicle to pass from one painted line to another — to enforce the speed limit.

Cars and trucks whizzed by. With a reflective vest draped over his muscled frame, Bingler knelt by the side of the road. He adjusted the infrared beam being emitted from the u-shaped, metal transmitter of the wireless non-radar speed tracker called ENRADD (Electronic Non-Radar Device).

Bingler dashed across the two lanes of northbound traffic to align the beam with a second u-shaped unit.

A beep signaled that the beams were aligned. But the impact of passing vehicles on the asphalt can sometimes knock the units out of line, which means Bingler sometimes has to start over. The exercise can sometimes take up to 20 minutes.

"It's a pain in the butt," he said. "I don't like being out there with all that traffic."

So, why was this choreography even necessary?

State law allows only Pennsylvania State Police to use radar guns to measure speed. Bingler is a member of Stroud Area Regional Police, which means he has to use other methods — such as the $5,000 ENRADD or a stopwatch that times how long it takes a vehicle to pass from one painted line to another — to enforce the speed limit.

Attempts are regularly made to expand the use of radar guns to municipal and regional police, but they continue to fall short.

One recent effort, House Bill 1539, was co-sponsored by 60 legislators, three of them local: state Reps. Mike Carroll, D-118, Mario Scavello, R-176, and John Siptroth, D-189. It would allow municipal or regional police to use radar to enforce speeding laws, provided they were properly trained.

"My argument is a common-sense argument," said Carroll. "We expect these folks to enforce the law, whether it's the crimes code or the vehicle code. I think they're perfectly able to enforce speed laws."

But, like many other attempts before it, House Bill 1539 died before leaving the transportation committee.

The argument against expansion is that municipal and regional police will use the radar guns to snag high numbers of motorists and boost revenue. But supporters of a change in the law point out that local police could simply camp out by a stop sign and nab rolling stoppers if the only goal was revenue.

"We don't think municipal departments would use them in that way," said Jack Lewis, spokesman for the Pennsylvania State Police, which supports other police being able to use the speed guns.

Bingler said the money from tickets, which is also divvied among emergency medical personnel and magistrates, as well as police and the municipality, isn't all that big a cash cow.

"We don't reap the benefits," he said. "The benefit is us slowing people down."

And slowing people down could have a dramatic impact on roadway safety. Nearly one in three roadway deaths across the state in 2008 was the direct result of speeding. Driving too fast also played a role — even if it was not always the chief reason — in nearly 53 percent of vehicular deaths in the state in 2007, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

But, for now, the current system of speed enforcement remains.

Because the device sits by the side of the road, at least one officer must attend to it. On Wednesday, that was Bingler. Three other officers queued next to him. They each manned a chase vehicle.

"If I was using radar, I could do it myself," said Bingler.

He sat in his car on Shafers Schoolhouse Road. A box in his hand displayed the speed relayed from ENRADD about 150 yards away.

A car sped by. The numbers flashed on the screen as Officer Michael Petruzzi sat in the first chase car.

"Seventy-four," said Bingler as a car cruised past. Petruzzi pulled out and gave chase.

Officer Charles Brown pulled his car next to Bingler's. Another lead car approached on Route 209. "Seventy-one," said Bingler.

"Yeah, buddy," said Brown as he pulled out.

Cpl. Thomas Lemond was next to park near Bingler. A truck went by at 68 mph. Lemond pulled out to follow.

A few moments later, a minivan shot past at 82 mph. But Bingler was out of options; all his chase vehicles were gone.

Some of the police said later that they assigned tickets to their quarry, while others let them go with a warning.

The speed detail's work ended early that day. A truck smashed into the device.

It was the second unit to meet an untimely end. An earlier ENRADD was stolen when Bingler was the only officer to run the speed detail; he had to leave it by the side of the road to pursue a speeding suspect.

"It limits you," said Bingler of the current situation. "We're not looking to jam anyone up. The goal is to slow people down."